


The Superhero Shuffle

by ThePurpleAvenger



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), X-Men - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Multi, Polyamory, Swearing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-30
Updated: 2017-06-30
Packaged: 2018-11-21 10:01:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,621
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11355156
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThePurpleAvenger/pseuds/ThePurpleAvenger
Summary: For as long as Iolana Lee could write, she has wanted to be journalist- a famous one, to be exact. When she finally graduates from the University of Hawaii with a degree in Journalism, she says goodbye to her island home, and moves to the mainland in search of a job. After finally landing at job at the New York Times, Io expects to cover sappy stories about kids saving dogs, and dogs saving kids. Instead, she is surprised to see she's been assigned to "the Superhero Shuffle"- what the Times calls the journalists who follow the two major superheroing groups, the X-Men and the Avengers. Join Iolana as she navigates the intersting-and dangerous- waters as she tries to achieve her dreams- and maybe find love while she's at it.OR:"I've only got bad things on my mind with you."





	The Superhero Shuffle

**Chapter One:** Aloha and Accidents

* * *

 

"Aloha! Aloha!" someone called, and I grimaced, while my photographer, and best friend, Mackenzie sent me a sympathetic smile. I turned around to see none other than Paul Richards, a seedy reporter from the Blaze who decided I would become his new "go-to-girl" (as he liked to call me) for scoops so he wouldn't have to do his own reporting. Paul Richards was a middle aged man, with a slightly receding hairline and a five o'clock shadow. He would seem attractive at a distance, but as soon as he opened his mouth, you would realize he was blatantly racist and sexist, having no qualms blurting out whatever was on his mind. If you couldn't tell, Paul  _ really _ wasn't my kind of guy.

"Fuck me," I muttered, as the man in question started to saunter over, a big smirk on his face. I quickly turned my grimace into a friendly smile. I  _ really  _ couldn't afford to make any enemies in this industry, especially considering I had only been a journalist for two and a half years. "How are you doing today, Paul?" I asked through gritted teeth, Mackenzie pretending to engrossed with something on her camera.

"Just fine, Aloha," he replied, his Southern accent thick as he threw a heavy arm around my shoulder. He smelled like sweat and cheap coffee and musky cologne and I wrinkled my nose. 

"It's Io," I stressed, throwing his arm off of me. 

Paul held up both of his hands in defense, the stupid smirk still on his face. "Sorry, darlin'. It's not my fault all of you people look alike," he said simply, as if was not saying an incredibly racist comment. Both Mackenzie and I froze, my hands balling into fists. 

Just as I opened my mouth to reply, the Avengers' press secretary, Maria Hill, walked out from behind the thick curtain that shielded the Avengers from our view. Immediately, journalists started to press forward, and I left Asshole McDickface behind as I moved through the throng of people, using my small height to my advantage. I ended up near the front of the room, a feet away from the stage, pressed between the legend Michael Rezendes from the Boston Globe (who had broke the story about sexual assualt and corruption within the Catholic Church in Boston), and a new face to the Superhero Shuffle, Athena Jones from CNN who had been transferred from covering Trump. 

Michael sent me a friendly smile as I stood besides him, shifting slightly so I could see better. Everyone around was either way taller than me, or wore higher heels. I chose comfort over fashion, preferring lower wedges that would allow me to move quickly over the taller, more fashionable pumps. "Thanks, Mike," I said, flashing him a sincere smile. 

"No problem, Io," he replied, and we both turned our attention towards the podium on the stage.

Maria Hill was an intimidating person. She had dark hair and dark eyes, and paired with an angular face and pursed lips, she was a little terrifying. But, she was incredibly charismatic and polite person, answering any questions concisely and quickly ("If only our President and his Press Secretary could be as great as Maria," Athena had muttered in my ear). As soon as she raised a hand for silence, the whole room obeyed, the only sound being the clicking of shutters. 

"Good morning," she said, flashing the group of us a smile. We all echoed the greeting, and I quickly reached for my phone, pressing the record button and sticking it in my blazer pocket. "Early this morning, after returning from a successful mission that is unfortunately classified-" a groan went out from around the room, and a small smile flashed across the woman's face. "-a group of Avengers, which included the Maximoff twins, Steve Rogers, Sam Wilson, and Clinton Barton, held a meeting with some of the senior members of the X-Men."

Immediately hands rose up, and I quickly joined the lot, balancing my notebook in one hand, and tucking my pen behind my ear. Maria called on Carl Fisher from the Washington Post first, and a triumphant smile flashed across his face. "Carl Fisher, Washington Post," he began, pressing a button on his digital recorder. "Two questions; who did the Avengers meet with from the X-Men and did they discuss the Mutant Registration Act?"

"They met with Charles Xavier, Ororo Munroe, aka Storm, Scott Summers, aka Cyclops, Jean Grey, and Anna Marie, aka Rogue. And to answer your second question, yes, they did discuss the Mutant Registration Act." 

The room was filled with the sound of scribblings pencils and pens, along with the sound of cameras flashing. I kept my hand up, hoping to be called on next (and hoping my recording came out clear). Maria and I made eye contact, and she nodded at me. I flashed her a grateful smile, pushing my glasses up my nose. "Iolana Lee, the New York Times," I began. "Two years ago, the Avengers nearly split over an Act similar to this one, that would have placed restrictions on the Avengers and placed them under UN and government control. Are the Avengers a united front on this issue, and do they support or oppose this measure? And why?"

I twirled a piece of pink hair around my finger as I finished my questioned, and Maria was silent for a second, her dark eyes narrowing in concentration. "All active members of the Avengers oppose this measure, based on principle," she started, and I nodded along, scribbling furiously in my notebook. "Most members oppose the Registration for the same reason they opposed the Accords: they don't want any more governmental influence in the lives of private citizens, and believe that everyone, regardless of their race, gender, ethnicity, or  _ genus _ -" Maria stressed, and I underlined that word in my notebook. "-deserve to live their lives peacefully, freely, and privately. Again, this is why the majority of the team opposes the measure. There are a few who have different reasons, and you may want to contact them individually for the information."

After that, I spaced in a way for the rest of the press conference. I noted that the X-Men didn't any free time to hold a press conference, due to testifying at different hearings on Capitol Hill, and attending various rallies around the country. But, my mind wasn't on this Act, but on a different one. The Accords.

I had been in my first few months of working at the New York Times (well, working at any newspaper- the only other newspaper I had worked at was the school one) when the world had a meltdown over the Accords, the bombing of the UN, and the subsequent manhunt for Bucky Barnes. A week before, right after the Lagos explosion, I had gotten an anonymous tip that the Winter Soldier had been spotted in this small town in Germany, Bucharest. Ecstatic, I used one of underground contacts, a hacker, to hack into the security cameras of the town, and give me twenty-four access. A mere hour before the Vienna bombing, I had finally spotted him: the Winter Soldier, aka Bucky Barnes. After the bombing, I had immediately forwarded the pictures to anyone on the Avengers (well, those who opposed the Accords). In an email two weeks later, Steve Rogers told me I had stopped a potential Civil War.

But, I wasn't the one who broke the story that Bucky Barnes was innocent, or their was a Hydra lab in the middle of Siberia. No, that privilege had gone to one of the senior correspondents, and I was merely added in on the bottom as a contributor.

I'm still bitter about it.

After that press conference, I said goodbye to a few friends, before making my way out of the room. My mind was running through my list of things to do- contact the various Avengers, try to call my friends on the X-Men, the dynamic duo themselves, Rogue and Gambit, talk to Mackenzie about-

Suddenly, I collided with a wall? No, it was a man (a well built man at that)!He was laying on the ground, groaning, and I immediately felt guilty. "Holy shit, are you okay?" I asked, crawling across the ground to check on him. 

The man sat up slowly and- holy fuck that was Pietro Maximoff. The handsome Sokovian grimaced at me, running a hand through his silver hair as he sat up slowly. He turned his head towards me as I pushed up my glasses nervously, waiting for a reparation. "You're Iolana Lee," he said suddenly, and holy fuck his accent was hotter than I ever imagined. 

Shaking mysefl out of my lust induced haze, I nodded. Pietro was up in a flash, and offered me a hand. He laughed at my bewildered expression, and pulled me off the ground. "How do you know who I am?" I finally asked, my dark eyes narrowing at him.

Pietro flashed me a bright smile with equally bright teeth. "You stopped the Avengers from fighting, no?" he asked, and I nodded in confirmation. He let out another laugh, before slowly looking me up and down. "You want to come and meet the rest?"

My eyes widened, and my mouth dropped open. "You shitting me?" I asked, and he nodded. "Hell yeah, I would! Well, if it isn't any trouble," I added quickly, smiling at him. 

"No trouble at all," he drawled slowly, drawing my attention to his plump, pink, kissable lips... Yup, I was back in those lusty thoughts. "Come," he said, offering me his arm, which I gladly took. "Let's go meet the rest of the Avengers."

 


End file.
